Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg claimed Italy’s next general election will be a bigger challenge for the European Union than Brexit, as populist eurosceptic parties look set to gain more votes than in the last election, it has been claimed.

Speaking on LBC, the Conservative backbencher argued Italian President Sergio Mattarella’s decision to overthrow the would-be populist government will give eurosceptic parties a stronger position at the next general elections.

President Mattarella rejected Lega and Five Star Movement’s coalition’s finance minister candidate, 81-year-old eurosceptic economist Paolo Savona, over his threats to pull Italy out of the eurozone.